STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2584
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 2796
S.D. 1
Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui
President of the Senate
Twenty-Sixth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2012
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2796 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEATH BENEFITS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to make permanent the decreased death benefit amount for medical and financial assistance recipients that was implemented by Act 205, part II, Session Laws of Hawaii 2010.
This measure also clarifies that the Department of Human Services is responsible for payment of mortuary and crematory services for unclaimed dead human bodies only after reviewing and approving the efforts made to determine that the body is unclaimed.
Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services.
Your Committee notes that, although the savings from the change in the death benefit was approximately $300,000 last year, the Department of Human Services continues to struggle to maintain the level of services necessary for the neediest populations in the State. Your Committee finds that permanently adopting the measures taken by Act 205, part II, Session Laws of Hawaii 2010, will assist the Department of Human Services in maintaining other current services while minimally impacting the public.
Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2796, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2796, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,
|
|
|
____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair |
|
|
|
|